Unit One Summary

We began with the concept of buildings, places, objects and spaces and how they evolved. Some of the first structures that appeared were stone circle formations with cosmic or religious relationships. Stonehenge is the most well-known of these, but similar stone configurations exist. Nabta Playa (Egypt) is one of them, and aligns with the tropic of cancer. “Compared to Stonehenge, built 4,500 years later, the circle is small, measuring roughly 4 meters in diameter… (Ching, 4)” and aided the observation of the skies and time. Gobrklizzztepe (Turkey) and Niuheliang (China) are two more stone ritual arrangements built in the early history of humans. The discovery of these observational locations reminds us that the curiosity we have for the world around us is an innate desire, passed on throughout our entire history. The Eames powers of ten video puts in perspective the depth of knowledge we have and how far that instinctive curiosity has taken us; past the stars and back again. However, sometimes we take what we know for surface value and don’t question the boundaries of our understanding. Patrick demonstrated this tendency to accept our assumptions by referencing “Motel of the Mysteries” and the humorous backwards analysis of our modern-day culture and traditions.

During the second week of this unit we delved into the world of circles, groves and stacks and how they dominate architecture. These forms translate through nature to ancient architectural design and ripple on to our design today. Circles originate with ideas of the sun and moon, and recognize key or sacred spots. They make an appearance from stone circles, to ancient churches, to Greek and Roman theaters, to the UNCG music building. Groves mimic the nature of trees and humans, and strive to break the distance between the Earth and the heavens. Stacks can represent the appearance of mountains, the hierarchical order, or the accumulation of materials and supplies. Regardless of their origins, these elements are a motif of design that has endured through the ages. They allow for harmony, balance, contrast, unity and repetition. The way they co-exist and intertwine with life customs raises a question about the relationship between the environment and ritual practices, and how they impact one another.

As a class we looked at the early uses of these elements in Greek acropolis and Chinese temples. Groves of columns defined temple spaces. Column precedents developed in figure and detail, and column order shifted to enhance the experience and flow of Greek temples. Greek columns and arches allude to the human form and how they fit together. The acropolis layout directs a person’s line of travel with its design. Whereas the Greek temples are on mountainous terrain and push towards the sky, the Xianyang Palace has a more horizontal layout, a more imperialistic approach. However, both form to demonstrate where the power resides in the society.

Commodity, firmness and delight are the key aspects to address in a structure. Commodity addresses the function of a space; firmness is the strength and durability of a structure; and delight refers to the aesthetics of the building. All three are vital in order to have a successful design, and they all must interact with each other. The materials must relate to the purpose, be strong enough to fulfill its task, and be situated in a pleasing way. A field trip around campus was spent analyzing buildings for these features. The materials, light and color shaped the experience and were echoed around the building. We saw how the design rhymed with itself and created a flowing composition. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said “I call architecture frozen music”, and it’s true.  Buildings evolve to the tune of their surroundings; follow the path ritual makes; plays the song the culture sings. The beauty of the song is locked in place to fit in as just another space where rituals take place.